MUSK THISTLE 



'95 

 h\ brid- 



follovver ot man. ll also grows largely on .sand\', liilU ground 

 izing with other species and growing gregariously. 



It is tall, erect, the stem being groovetl, with wa\\' wings, \ cry 

 spinose, and collonx". The leax'es at the base run down the stem. 

 They are spinous, lance-shaped, hairy, with woolly veins below, and 

 deeply lobed. The spines serve as a protection against animals. 



The tlowers an- drooping, purple, with lance-shaped acute phyllaries. 



JU.sk ThistLK (Cari/liiis >ii(la>is. L. ) 



The scales taper to a rigid point. The outer phyllaries are turned 

 back. The florets are tubular, coiiiplcic, and have scales at the base. 



The height varies from 2-3 ft. Musk Thistle flowers in July and 

 August. It is a herbaceous aiuiual and multiplied by seeds. 



The flowers are bisexual, with tubular corollas, the tube widened at 

 the top, and short, so accessible to shortdip])ed insects. The anthers 

 bear linear appendages, and the style arms are united to form a column 

 with a ring of hairs at the base. The flowerheads are large and con- 

 spicuous, and there is abundance of honey and pollen. The plant is 

 visited by Boiiibiis liortonnii. B. pra/onn//. />'. trs/aZ/s, 1 lalntiis cy/iii- 

 dricits. IF. iiialachni-iis, and the Narrow-bcjrdercd b'ive-spolK^tl ISurnct 

 {Zygceiia /oiiicera-). 



